Kaleidoscope Discoveries

This I Believe

2011-11-16T08:24:00.000-05:00

Recently read the book of essays entiled, This I Believe, The Personal Philosophies Of Remarkable Men And Women edited by Jay Allison and Dan Gediman and have been thinking about what I believe in. Here is an unedited post-morning coffee stream of consciousness regarding what I believe in. Would love to have you share your beliefs with me as well.

I believe in Integrity and Truthfulness

Standing up for what is right and just, not what is popular sentiment

Action and taking a stand vs. camping out on Wall Street and protesting

That any two committed individuals have the right to be together regardless of their sexual orientation

I am opposed to death of any kind: abortion, capital punishment, euthanasia, mercy killing, WAR

I believe in self-sufficiency and the community (neighborhood, church, support group, whatever) taking care of its own and the government NOT giving out handouts

I believe in the power of education, both formal and informal and its ability to transform a life

I believe that there is a heaven of sorts, not necessarily a place, but a state of mind

I believe that evil does exist and it walks the land in the guise of human nature

I have strong faith and love my Catholic religion while recognizing that other faith communities exist alongside- whether they are Christian or not.

I believe any individual who has led a good and faith-filled life will enter that state of mind called Heaven regardless of whether they are Catholic or Christian, Muslim or Hindu.

I believe in holding on to dreams and using them as guideposts for living.

I believe in the power to transform lives through actions and mighty endeavors.

I believe that you can have many loves in your life.

I believe that the power of friendship is more valuable than all the oil in the world.

I believe in believing in YOU.

What do you believe in?

Apocalypse

2011-11-07T10:13:00.001-05:00

Frozen landscape

Dark, desolate

Sun absent in the sky

Falling ash, ashen snow......

What would you do if there was an apocalypse and you were one of the few remaining on earth? How would your faith be tested? In the movie The Road based on the Pulitzer Prize winning novel of the same title by Cormac McCarthy, a man and his son find themselves in this scenario. The man’s wife has taken her own life unable to go on under the extreme conditions that they have been living under and hoping to create more of a chance of survival for the remaining two. The movie follows the pair on the road to reach the southern coast to find warmth and possible life. Along the way their values are tested profoundly and the boy must make a herculean choice.

What struck me the most was looking at the breakdown of society and the construction of a new order in which people were no longer valued for their humanity. To witness the savagery that people turned to in their desperation in order to survive was shocking. It became a crowd mentality, where people acquiesced in order not to be on the outside: the ones attacked and ultimately eaten. There was a renegade leadership running rampant that followed the mantra of survival of the fittest and if you were outside of one of these groups, you literally were running for your life.

One image that continues to haunt me is the scene involving a loaded gun: their only means of protection. In this scene the father shows his little boy how to put the pistol in his mouth and aim upwards toward his brain for a quick and painless death. The loaded gun that the father and son kept ultimately contained only one bullet and would be the saving grace to prevent the boy from a horrific end at the hands of the cannibalistic survivors. The father knew at this point that he was dying and would not be there to protect his son in the future. Such a tragic, tragic image. But within that image, there exists unconditional love.

Another theme that ran throughout the film and touched my core was that of trust. The boy asks a stranger at one point, “Are you one of the good guys?”. In a lawless and desperate society the role of good guy can flip on a dime. We can only trust our instincts and make a decision based on the information that we have at hand.

I suppose the answer to how you would handle being in a similar situation would depend upon your faith and your views of life, death and after-life. I hope we never see an apocalypse in a million lifetimes from now, but if we did, I know what I would do.

Do you?

Nirvana & Naming

2011-10-17T10:25:00.001-04:00

Just found an errant page that belongs to my unpublished novel. As I read the lines that were written five years ago, I was struck by the power of the words. The voice is that of Gabrielle writing of her soul mate, Jon, in the pages of her personal journal. They are young adults who met as teens through an online game. Here is a small excerpt from a larger piece:

"We have shared so much

It is truly an incredible experience to be completely known

Every raw nerve, every idiosyncrasy exposed

And through this naked unveiling, we remain close

Not frightened away by our own realities....

Sometimes we react in a series of classical conditioning scenarios

that we are unable to prevent from playing out

But no matter, we always find our way back to each other

Back to that feeling of being totally and utterly connected

To each other in body and soul

You take me to the highest heights

You make my heart soar

Over and over again

I am with you every time

Every single time

Calling out your name

Before I take that final leap off the mountain

You answer, "Gabrielle, I'm coming"

And you are right behind me; along side of me

Landing in a heap of blissful exhaustion at the bottom of that mighty mountain

Two blind people assisted by heightened other senses

Making sense of the world they have created

Living to love; loving to live........"

Afterwards I picked up my copy of This I Believe, The Personal Philosophies Of Remarkable Men And Women edited by Jay Allison and Dan Gediman and read an entry by writer and activist Eve Ensler entitled "The Power and Mystery of Naming Things". This quote really struck me:

"Naming things, breaking through taboos and denial is the most dangerous, terrifying, and crucial work. This has to happen in spite of political climates or coercions, in spite of careers being won or lost, in spite of the fear of being criticized, outcast, or disliked. I believe freedom begins with naming things. Humanity is preserved by it."

Not sure why both of these pieces struck me enough to place them together here in Kaleidoscope, but I'm going with the suggestion of my muse and perhaps later I will find a connection......

Life Is What You Make Of It

2011-10-09T21:50:00.000-04:00

Dreamer, Believer, Passionate, Extrovert, Unconventional, Eclectic, Empathetic, Analytical, Gifted, Intelligent

When I think about who I am deep inside, these are the words that come to mind. They are words that many people have used to describe me. I love people- I love knowing their stories and I love connecting with their souls. If I can touch just one person in my day, then I label it a success. My greatest joy is to see someone achieve and to help them reach their goals.

I feel that I have led a highly successful life: wonderful career with Procter & Gamble, many community leadership positions, international travel, published work including a book on social media and the launching of my own company, C3: Creating Connections Consulting, LLC. Despite all of the professional accomplishments, my greatest achievement is raising two wonderful children who are both amazingly intelligent and gifted and who will go on to change the world.

Tomorrow marks my 24th wedding anniversary, and in today's world, that is probably a huge accomplishment as well. To me it seems like yesterday. A friend on Facebook commented to my status update about the anniversary with a question:

"You and Glenn are both wonderful people. We've been blessed to have met you both. You are a great couple. I'm sure you have some words of wisdom in how to make it last for 24 years. Any you care to share? Or is it like hiring employees - try to pick the right one the first time?"

I took some time to reflect on this question. I think the biggest piece of advice would be to really know who you are marrying; in other words, spend some time deeply getting to know what their core values are and if they align with yours. The person should truly be your best friend and communication should flow freely and often between you. I think you need to be partners and equals in the relationship sharing everything from duties to dollars, while still maintaining your own identity. There will be tough times and changes along the way, but it is how you handle these circumstances that make all of the difference.

So 24 years have flown by and it truly feels like just yesterday that we were dancing at our wedding. And if I close my eyes and press the knob on my jewelry box, I can hear our song play and see us beautifully executing the dance steps we learned at Arthur Murray. Two Procter managers with MBAs and a dream.....

East of Eden, South of Despair

2011-07-20T23:35:00.002-04:00

Have been reading your blog lately

You claim to speak from the universal voice,

but it seems to me that you are battling personal demons

in your words

All this talk of rain and burning embers and

Death

Sounds like you are dealing with loss

Loss of love

Loss of the guidance that never was

Loss of the dream

So drummer boy, keep writing

Keep waiting, but

never stop dreaming

because the truth shall set you free....

Snow Globes

2011-07-06T11:15:00.000-04:00

Snow globes, like life, capture moments

Caught within the windows of time

Our minds remember the reels of yesterday,

But in the absence of fresher moments

We extend our understanding to be commensurate

With the present

Unfortunately, reality plays a cruel hand

And often what we experience in the present has

No resemblance to what was held in the past.

You had so much promise

Truly a mover and a shaker off to live a larger life

Than the rest of us

Something happened along the way

That I am not privy to

Something flawed and tragic and life-changing

Because you are no longer the same person

Yes, there are shadows of your former self,

Slivers actually, that poke through this “new” persona

But they slide across your countenance in a pattern

That leaves me confused and wondering if you are in

Full command of your faculties

Do you truly know who you are?

Unveiling the Secret Life

2011-06-20T14:41:00.000-04:00

Today is the day that I embark on a personal journey. I feel a sense of trepidation as I picture the window of my anonymity being rolled down further than the child safety seat of my comfort zone normally allows. At this stage in the journey, why hold back? More than 1/2 my life has already been written.....

Join me on my journey to the Secret Life of an American Female Entrepreneur:

Journey With Me

2011-06-15T15:24:00.000-04:00

Getting ready to embark upon a journey with mixed emotions. An inner voice is telling me that the time is right to share some wisdom (perhaps due to my impending birthday??) and the vehicle to do this is via Vlog (video blog) on Vimeo or YouTube. Being the uber brand evangelist that I am, I will create a new channel for this softer, personal side of me; a separate slice from my C3 life.

Yes, I still compartmentalize and that is the irony that runs through my life: Social Media Professional who operates at the nth level of privacy. I suppose the bigger issue will be whether anyone even "tunes in".....

My Heart & Soul

2011-06-10T16:43:00.001-04:00

"We could have had it all

You had my heart and soul……"

Love these heart-felt lyrics by Adele.

Makes me wonder what the story is behind her words. When I reflect upon them it makes me think back to my life, especially as I enter the second half of the journey. I have written many, many times about my belief in destiny and the idea that things/events/people happen for a reason. Yes, I believe in free will extending a hand and altering the plan that has been pre-designed, but the path has been carved out long ago.

I believe that I exist today as a sum of my experiences, my joys, my disappointments and the many loves and friendships that have touched my life. Would I ever say to the one who would have been, “We could have had it all...” Nope. Because that path would have led to a person who is other than me today. If there is one thing that I do perhaps suffer from, it is too much self esteem. I love who I am, how I’ve lived and the choices that I have made. There is nothing that was within my control that I would have changed.

Now about that situation that was out of my hands……

“But you played it,
You played it,
You played it,
You played it to the beat…”.

Two Roads Diverged.....

2011-06-08T00:58:00.002-04:00

You "get" me
Very few people do
Complex thought processes coupled with a
Dichotomous outlook
Result in a conundrum that few understand

Glad our friendship has endured decades
And come full circle

Sunset in Key West

2011-06-06T00:11:00.000-04:00

And so the dance begins

You quench my thirst and I enlighten your lost possibilities

A bit of antique art glass and a pair of Steve Maddens

Purple haze of Karma reconfirms our destiny

You purely slay me with your humor

and touch my core with your concern

Not going to lose you again....

Solstice Encounter

2011-06-02T11:01:00.000-04:00

Came upon a piece of me that has been buried

That’s why it feels like a story, like a slice of someone else’s life

I know the pain is there because I can only read so much

Of the long ago journal before having to close the well-worn cover

It’s a story that is buried so deep

That it feels like I’m reading a novel or a bio of another’s life

*****************************************

Young, intense, competitive love

Forming each of us into adulthood

Soul click

Heart break- no…..

heart-shredding

Living a façade for the masses

Led to an end to us as you left for self-discovery

Escaping the conservative confines of our city

Searching for a progressive place that would allow you

To explore the stirrings in your own soul

A chance to answer the question that had been pulling at you

Like demons in the night

Buried pain, picking up the shattered pieces

Wondering if I could go on without you

Intelligent, Motivated, Driven,

Intensely Competitive, Sophisticated, Narcissistic-

You were my male twin and even our hearts beat in sync

Later, as with all deep heart-wrenching pain,

I went on with my life

Using yours as the yard stick

by which all future relationships were measured

Years rolled by and became decades

I found you once again within the pages of

A college photo album

Pictures curling as the adhesive aged

Hand-in-hand together at Coney’s Moonlight Gardens,

Nominated for Homecoming King & Queen

An irony like no other….

Searched for you online only to be met with resounding silence

You were nowhere to be found

And I feared that you no longer walked the earth

How unbelievable when the universe shifted recently and a

Tear in the cosmos allowed me to find you again

So many years have passed, yet it feels like yesterday

Only different…..

“What an unexpected gift and blessing from the universe….remember, after all these years, we have plenty of time! Love ya, Michelle.” ~Todd

And yes, Todd. Time is the one thing we do have……

So This Is My Life- No Regrets

2011-02-11T18:48:00.005-05:00

Erin Schreyer, President of Sagestone Partners asked me to write a bio highlighting my career, current position and volunteer work for a panel I will be participating in soon. Thought I would house it here in case there are Friends that don't know my story. For the record, I consider my greatest achievements to be the care, nurturing and education of my two children. I walked away from an incredible career building world-class household brands with Procter & Gamble in order to focus on my own home-grown brands, and I'm happy to say I don't regret a single minute of my decision. The kids are doing well and my path led me to C3- which I absolutely am passionate about!

So here you go:

Career History for Strengths & Sisterhood Panel

2/10/11

Michelle Beckham-Corbin, Owner & Principal of C3: Creating Connections Consulting, LLC, a social media marketing strategy firm.

Michelle began her career as a Sales Representative in the Health & Personal Care Division of Procter & Gamble after graduating from Xavier University and rose through various Customer Business Development & Marketing management positions during her 15 year career with P&G. Along the way, she acquired an MBA in Management. Michelle later left P&G to devote more time to her two young children and to offer her organizational & training talents to family- based non-profit, Beech Acres Parenting Center, as a Contract Facilitator & Trainer for several long-running programs.

After several years, she returned to the business world working for a local marketing firm and became fascinated by the early world of Social Media. As she built up her knowledge base of digital media, she was sought after by many companies for her expertise. Her husband encouraged her to hang her own shingle and C3 was officially born in early 2009. Today she works with corporate clients, non-profits and start-ups consulting, coaching, training and speaking on all things social media.

Outside of running her company, and keeping tabs on her two high school children’s activities, Michelle is an active volunteer in the community. She is a former Girl Scout Leader, PTO Board Secretary, Parish Council Member and Lector for her Church. Michelle is a Board Trustee for the non-profit group Authentic Leadership Cincinnati and is on the Board of the IHM Job Search Ministry Group where she shares her knowledge of Web 2.0 job search strategies and social media promotion with those in transition. She is a member of the Steering Committee for the digital networking group, New Media Cincinnati and is the host of AC-TV talk show, Trustee Talk, on Warner Cable. Michelle is a frequent speaker, lecturer and trainer. Additionally, she is a published writer, co-author of Social Media book, Age of Conversation 3 (Channel V Books, New York, 2010), frequent commenter and Blogger.

She brings great energy and passion as well as a keen ability to deeply connect with people in order to create business building social media opportunities for her clients.

~So there you have it. Not the Bio that my clients usually see. This is the back story......

Copyright Michelle Beckham-Corbin 2011

Driving My Passion With Virtual Grenades

2011-01-12T20:35:00.005-05:00

I'd catch a grenade for love
Throw my hand on a blade for love
I'd jump in front of a train for love
You know I'd do anything for love
I would go through all this pain
Take a bullet straight through my brain
Yes, I would die for you....

Bruno Mars sings these heartfelt lyrics in his fast rhythm song, Grenade. I love the beat; it has a pulsing tempo that just begs to pull your body into movement. However, if you listen closely, the lyrics will break your heart. When I take in his words, they makes me wonder about the things in my life that I would ascribe these same intense sentiments.

What are the passions that drive me to succeed and for which I would lay down everything. For me the number one answer would be relationships. I value the connections that I have with people. I am a deep, analytical soul and when I meet someone, I want to know everything about them.

Secondly I am passionate about self-actualization. I aspire to be the best possible version of me that can exist at this time and in this space. I love to make a difference in people's lives that will help them achieve their goals.

Lastly, I am passionate about leaving a legacy. I want to leave this earth having created pieces of myself that are left to lodge and grow and influence future generations. I don't want to disappear into the ether, but to have some tangible proof that I walked this earth and left it in a better state of being somehow.

So what do my ramblings have to do with unrequited love as it is described in Bruno's song. Well not much, but words and lyrics inspire me and cause me to reach deeper into my own psyche for parallel meanings.

What things in your life would you take a virtual grenade for?

Copyright Michelle Beckham-Corbin 2011

Breathe Change Into the World

2010-12-10T17:52:00.001-05:00

Take a moment to breathe in the cold air around you and as you hold it inside your lungs, remember that you were placed right here, in this spot to make a difference. Whether that difference is within your own family or out in the world, know that you possess the ability to faciliatate change. It only takes one committed person to move a mountain. I'll see you on the other side.

Escaping the Image of Me

2010-12-08T22:31:00.003-05:00

Escaping the Image of Me

For years people have told you:

“You look just like her”

And while I don’t see the complete physical resemblance

Beyond similar hair and eye color,

I think what they were trying to do was to paint the feeling

That they had into words- the observation that our inner core, our essence is similar

Extroverted over-achievers with a flair for the dramatic and a love

Of being front and center

We have strong, independent personalities and value integrity and truthfulness

We are unflinchingly loyal,

Unless of course one has proven themselves to be lacking in the virtues we hold dear

Leaders

Thought provokers

Keeper of the peace

Risk takers (ok- we diverge here)

Brave hearts that seek to do what is right and not what is popular

Voracious readers of good content

Talented Writers

Gifted intellect

Lately you voice concerns about our similarities

And I ask, “Is there a reason why you don’t have positive feelings about being like me?

And you answer, “Because I feel like I am re-playing a movie role about your life”

Hazards of sharing journal entries of my life at your exact age….

And yes there are many, many similarities.

BUT there are differences that make you your own unique person

You are you and I am me

How lucky we are to have each other.

Walking Rainbows

2010-11-29T09:18:00.004-05:00

Be my walking rainbow

Kaleidoscope of colors, exuding energy

At each point of the spectrum

We walk this earth radiating points of our personality

Each sliver, each edge of brilliance has

The opportunity to touch someone’s life

Sometimes we are unaware of the net effect

Our color chart of traits has on others;

Not knowing that the interaction,

No matter how brief, caused an intermingling of color

Into another’s life

The energy passes, is received

And recycled into the aura surrounding them

Continuing to make a mark on the next in line

Be cognizant of your rainbow and

The good you can achieve by sharing your energy with others

You have the ability to change the world with your rainbow…..

The Kindness of Strangers

2010-11-09T13:49:00.002-05:00

Coincidence, Karma, Fate, Pre-determinism....

All thoughts that swirl through my coffee-fueled mind...

I believe that we have a destiny that has already been carved and within that destiny we have the ability to use free will/ choice to close our ears and eyes to the signs that are around us or to embrace them. It takes awareness and a conscious decision to slow down our lives to be aware of what is around us.

This point hit home for me with a video that was making the rounds on Facebook and has probably hit the numbers needed to brand it viral by now. Would love to share it with you, but it's not a YouTube embed, so I can't get a URL. Best I can do is give you a link to my C3 Facebook Page and have you view it there. The premise is that we tend to take people at face value without looking for the back story. Imagine what the world would be like if we extended more kindness and compassion and didn't react immediately to our first impression.

The second part of this observation is the idea that when we do extend kindness, no matter how small, no matter how random, we have the ability for that to build. People are struck by the generosity and compassion of others and the warmth that emanates inside them finds its way in some type of expression of gratitude that affects yet another person, and so on. Remember the Pay It Forward movement from several years ago? That's what I'm getting at.

I experienced several acts of kindness today, to the point where I began to wonder if there was a sign on my back that said "Show her a little love!". Weird how that happens. Here are my little miracles for the day:

1. During a surgery consult at Children's Hospital, the nurse was able to squeeze us in over the Christmas holidays so that no school would be missed for the operation

2. Stopped at a shoe repair shop to inquire whether my favorite Borns were fixable. The owner stopped what he was doing and repaired them that minute and threw in a polish and shine.

3. Popped into a local bakery to grab a muffin to eat while I waited for the shoes. Wanted to remove any traces of hospital germs off my hands, but the bakery did not have a public restroom. The clerk invited me to come behind the counter to use the bakery sink.

None of these things will change the world, but you know what. They changed my day. They made me smile.... Perhaps you will too!

Copyright Michelle Beckham-Corbin 2010

The Sweet Spot: Where Passion & Career Collide

2010-11-04T17:02:00.005-04:00

Imagine the infinite possibilities that await you when you follow your passion.....

Full text of the post referred to in the video can be found here.

Want to join the conversation? Need help in navigating your passion? Contact me here and let's talk!

Also:

I am looking to establish a mentor/mentee program for women. If you have any interest on either side of the equation, please send me your name & contact information. You can reach me: Michelle@CreatingConnectionsConsulting.com

The Bell Tolls

2010-10-27T07:21:00.002-04:00

Circle of Life

Light of Hope

Belief in tomorrow

That you will be there

In your place as always

Yet

Life throws us curve balls

The path twists

And we dodge the arrow

Or unknowingly get caught in the cross hairs

Of our destiny

The pain of losing an ancient one

Is a million times milder than losing a child

Both sad, but the elder has led a long life

Affected change through many seasons

A child is just beginning to make a mark on the world

The possibilities are endlessly open

The pain cuts like a knife for those who were not there

They did not get the chance to say good-bye………

Vashkrieg: Journey to the Epicenter

2010-10-26T15:05:00.004-04:00

"You and I were friends from outer space

Afraid to let go, the only two who understood this place

And as far as we know, we were way before our time….."

~This Ain't Goodbye by Train

You will forever be a piece of me

A sliver of warmth wedged deeply into my heart and my psyche

You taught me to love deeply and risk greatly

Believing in the truth and not the norm

Allowing me to be the ‘me’ that was hidden away

Unpeeling the layers like the leaves of the artichoke

Until my essence was exposed

So glad that we have reached that pinnacle

That defines success for each of us today

Music and literature will forever tie the pages

Of our lives together

So glad that you won’t be traveling that road alone

So raise a glass to “the only two who understood this place”

I'll see you on the other side.

Rocking My World

2010-10-06T09:00:00.001-04:00

One day you will stumble upon this page

And you will be carried back in time

Slowly you will breathe in my words

And one by one, the cylinders of your brain will kick in

As the memories fire up the engine of yesterday

Once upon a time and long, long ago

You touched my life

You changed me in a metamorphic way

Your presence challenged me to change my view on the world

As you turned my universe upside down

We knew each other as much as any two humans can deeply decipher

Yet, a key element was missing that made our attachment

All the more remarkable

Years went by and memories faded to the dark recesses of our minds

But the words remained

Along with the power to tell the story from long ago

So take your time and choose carefully

Most of what you will find is about your life and our time together

The rest is left unwritten……

Be My Winding Wheel

2010-09-30T08:26:00.005-04:00

You never cease to amaze me with your dichotomous ability

To wax and wane in my life

One moment you are anger and fury pointing a crooked

Finger at the past

Months of eerie silence follows

As I wonder if you are destroying the life

I worked so hard to save

Then out of the blue you emerge and ask me:

“Do you recall ‘Be My Winding Wheel’ by Ryan Adams?”

Good Lord, of course I do

How could I forget……

There is an enormous history between the three of us

Sharing his music, discussing his lyrics, reading aloud to each other

From Ryan’s book of poetry, “Infinity Blues”

And then the magic occurs as you pull out your acoustic guitar

And play the song while soulfully singing out the lyrics

I haven’t heard you sing for me in years, yet it felt like yesterday

But different

Your life is set to the path I helped charter

And it is so very cool that we still debate and philosophize about

Great literary works and gut-touching music

I know your idiosyncrasies and you know my vanity

We share history that has shaped who we are today

And for some crazy reason that tenuous web remains unbroken…

Mother/Daughter Time

2010-09-23T06:28:00.004-04:00

Mackenzie & I fell asleep as I was reading the short story, Everyday Use, by Alice Walker to her. I'm sure the narrative will reappear in my dreams tonight. The plan was for us to discuss this particular piece of literary genre as she has a test on it tomorrow. Hopefully one can truly learn through sleep osmosis.

I have loved Alice Walker's work from the time before The Color Purple made such a big splash on the world. Reading about characters whose lives I can not even begin to comprehend has been incredibly enlightening.

Copyright Michelle Beckham-Corbin 2010

It's the End of the Summer!

2010-09-21T16:39:00.005-04:00

This was a very relaxing summer season for me as I didn't cram 10 lifetimes into 3 months. Balance was the word and it was heard throughout my household. In honor of the official arrival of Fall, I am sharing this music video "End of Summer" by Theory of a Dead Man (there's gotta be a story behind that band name!).

Unfortunately, all of the yards in Cincinnati are showing signs of intense heat stress and the actual calendar date is doing nothing to dispel the warm weather. It's 93 degrees here and I'm going to grab my popsicle and do some pumpkin placements as the sweat slowly drips down my back....

Welcome Fall!!

Copyright Michelle Beckham-Corbin 201

C3:Creating Connections Consulting

2010-09-16T15:02:00.001-04:00

Here's a look a the other side of my life. Welcome to C3: Creating Connections Consulting, LLC

You can contact us at: info@creatingconnectionsconsulting.com

C3:Creating Connections Consult

Copyright Michelle Beckham-Corbin 2010

No Other Pain Like Losing A Soul Mate

2010-09-16T11:04:00.006-04:00

To be connected with every fiber of your being to another person

Is an amazing, but dangerous thing

Feeling like one and understanding every nuance of the other’s persona

While the rest of the world is locked out

The ability to know what the other is thinking and

To predict how they will react in certain situations

Is bred over years of spending eons of hours together

When that connection ends, there is “no other pain, like losing a soul mate.”

Time works its wand and your memory fades

Life goes on and other passions take over

What was, becomes barely a whisper of a late night dream

And the written words have long been locked away in storage

So how cruel to see your picture appear on-line after all these years

At the very same moment that Xavier Rudd began singing

‘Love Comes and Goes’ on XM Satellite Radio

How very cruel indeed…..

Where I talk to God

2010-09-09T17:06:00.004-04:00

Some people go for long hikes stretching up through mountains or snaking through tree-shaded pathways. Others (whom I deem crazy) run marathons for miles and miles passing cheering sweat-stained faces. I choose to find my solitude in spinning. No, I'm not talking the Rumpelstiltskin kind, but the stationary road bike kind with the controls that allow for many terrain type variations. My spinning bike resides in a class room at my local gym. The venue is definitely a class, as it holds up to 26 bikes, but the room is actually a converted squash court.

I love it because it is dark and cave-like and full of an incredible community of folks from diverse ages. The music and bike path varies depending upon the instructor, but I tend to like the Top 40 and Alt Rock tracks with the most brutal of work-outs. I believe in totally maximizing my time, so the more calories I can burn in 60 minutes the better! I have been an ardent spinner for almost a decade. In the years when my schedule was lighter, I had been known to spin nearly 6 days a week (not bad at 600 calories/spin).

I love the cool darkness of the room and like to start my day with an early morning spin. It wakes me up, clears my mind and offers up a quiet space to think, meditate, pray ( I have said many decades of the rosary while pushing my quads to the max!) and to plan my day. It is a gift to myself; one that I treasure immensely.

I also treasure the community of men and women (ok, I have to admit that its mostly women with about a 1:10 ratio) who play an important part in my experience of the exercise. I love walking into a room knowingly looking like crap, only to be greeted by spin friends who ask follow-up questions to news from my life. We share our stories, good times and heartache; our recipes with some tasty samples thrown in, encouragement and even hold the occasional bitch session. No matter what happens between those painted cement walls with the black lights (really purple- think 1970's), we walk out feeling invigorated and refreshed.

And hey they serve coffee upstairs for free!!

Copyright Michelle Beckham-Corbin 2010

Procrastination is Hell: Write From Your Heart

2010-08-23T08:47:00.008-04:00

I have been a writer forever and have a multitude of “pieces” stashed around my home, some published, most just birthed for my eyes only. I probably have enough poetry to fill 5 fairly large volumes. I can close my eyes anywhere, in the middle of a lecture or in the quiet of a dusk-filled room and words will pour forth from me effortlessly. Sometimes I have an idea when I begin, and at other times I go where my muse takes me. One element that is constant is that my poetry and essays tend to be universally based regardless of whether they draw from my life or not.

The one difficulty I have is report style writing. By virtue of its very nature, it requires thought, time and much research. It is information that resides outside of my consciousness and therefore can’t flow effortlessly from my brain to paper. I have to put down a thought, research the subject, find documentation to support my point, add URL links for readers to get a fuller picture, cut it down to under 500 words and make it visually appealing with images and/or video. Oh, and let’s not forget the whole SEO function. The title needs to be catchy and optimized and the key words need to be optimized as well.

When I write poetry, not only does it flow beautifully from my brain to the page, but I really don’t give a flip if anyone reads it. Just as running is a release for the athlete, writing is a release for me. It is a personal gift to myself, if someone else reads my words, then it becomes just an added gift, but not really necessary. Often when someone tells me that they have read my work, I react with surprise. I genuinely forget that I have several blogs that others actually can and do come in contact with. There is something about writing on a computer that makes you feel as if it only you and the page that exist, even after the enter button has been pushed.

So why am I sharing this? It’s an exercise in how I can write this blog post in 2 minutes as I put off writing some business-related blog posts. Procrastination is hell…………………………….

You can find my creative pieces on this blog and my procrastination, errr I mean my business/social media pieces here and here.

Copyright Michelle Beckham-Corbin 2010 ~ All Rights Reserved

Meeting Trevor Hurst of Econoline Crush

2010-08-21T12:20:00.006-04:00

One of the wonderful things about social networking is that you can connect with interesting people that you don’t know initially who can go on to become friends, clients and business partners. There is something freeing about the internet that makes it easier for even the most introverted among us to reach out and really touch someone. Remember the old AT&T Commercials:

I recently met someone quite famous on-line in a web-conference type scenario. The thing is I had no clue who he was at the time, only his location: Canada. I could deduce a few things about him from our conversation: his demeanor, looks and choice of wording. I gave him my candid impression of his “personal brand”: rocker (as in musician) and sensitive guy with a vocabulary style that screamed out ‘writer’. These were all characteristics that he did not mention himself. Apparently, I was dead on because he was surprised by my description and asked if I knew who he was; which of course I did not.

The unknown guy told me that he was indeed a musician and a songwriter and gave me the name of his band, Econoline Crush and one of their biggest hits, “You Don’t Know What It’s Like.” I had never heard of either but was intrigued. Being the skeptic and ardent Googler that I am, I quickly did a search while we were still talking (multi-tasking comes in handy at times!) and came up with a very slick video on YouTube for the song.

Yep, the guy I was talking to looked like the lead singer in the video sans dark black eyeliner and tight leather pants. Still slightly skeptical, I half-joked that if he truly was a celebrity, he probably had a personal Twitter account. I assumed he would tell me that he didn’t, instead he promptly gave it to me and suggested I send him a Tweet later.

We could have left it at that and gone our merry ways, but curiosity got me and I later found the Twitter account he mentioned and sent him an @message. He immediately followed me and fired back with a response. Did some research and discovered that he was truly Trevor Hurst, the lead singer and front man for Econoline Crush. Apparently they were very hot in the 90’s, disbanded for a time and reunited in 2007. They have released 4 albums: Purge (1994), Affliction (1996), The Devil You Know (1997), Brand New History (2001) and Ignite (2008). EC received two Juno nominations; and their “Devil You Know” album went Platinum.

Their music has been described as Industrial Alternative Rock and they have toured with bands like Hinder, Three Days Grace, Alice Cooper and KISS. I continue to keep up a Twitter DM relationship with Trevor, answering his questions and sending him occasional advice on his Twitter account and EC Facebook Page.

Econoline Crush is currently working on a new EP and just completed a campaign on the social fund-raising site IndieGoGo. They will be posting video clips and photos of the recording process on their Facebook Page.

Trevor comes across as being very intelligent and creative with a keen sense of what is important to him: entertaining audiences and sharing his creativity with fans. He is sensitive, articulate and was a pleasure to bump into on the social media highway. Really glad I did.

Here are some Cincinnati area bands that are active on Twitter & Facebook. Maybe you can bump into Drew, April, Laurie or Scott in real life at a local venue. Just ask first before reaching out and touching them…..

Drew LaPlante

Honneycombs

Tupelo Honey

Influence or Not?

2010-08-01T14:44:00.005-04:00

Contemplating Influence this afternoon. Really fascinated with Fast Company's Influence Project . Here's the official statement about what they are trying to accomplish:

"We started with a simple question: Who are the most influential people online right now?

That's what The Influence Project is designed to answer. By participating, you will have your picture appear in the November issue of Fast Company magazine as part of an amazing photo spread. The more influence you demonstrate, the bigger your picture will be.

You may discover that you're more influential than you think..."

Thinking about influence within this context brings up some additional terms for me like:

Reach
Time
Competition
Curiosity
Guilt

I think influence in this project speaks more to the amount of reach an individual has, the amount of time to connect within that reach and the curiosity of the people on the receiving end. There is also that competitive gaming aspect and the ability to have your name in lights. Well, ok, your picture in the Fast Company magazine spread. That should appeal to the narcissist in every social media aficionado out there, present company included. Guilt also may play a factor in the decision of the invitee to take action or not. Will my friend know that I ignored her request to click???

In the end, it doesn't matter how many people you know or can effectively reach, if they won't take the time to click the link, then your "marketing efforts" are for naught. We Facebook junkies have been conditioned into clicking links for a long time (how many Pages have you Liked??), and it only takes a second.

I measure true influence within this project based on those individuals that can "influence" others to create their own profile on the wall. In this case people are actually motivated to use a commodity: time. Takes some effort to write a bio, grab a picture and put it all together.

What's your time worth?

I plan on writing several posts that will capture my observations of this project, but in the meantime, I plan on staying in the game. Click my link and jump into the fray if you dare. I'll know if you did.......

Copyright Michelle Beckham-Corbin 2010

Kaleidoscope Waters

2010-08-01T14:33:00.003-04:00

You move in and out between the pages of my life
It reminds me of the mountain stream that trickles and flows
Through the different seasons of life
Babbling, flowing, carving its stake into the land that hosts it

Like the changing flow of water, you first appeared
Making a lasting impression on the landscape
That was my life
Periodically you re-surface and grace me with your presence
Sometimes wistful
Sometimes angry
Sometimes professorial
Each time you make that re-connection
You further cement the link between us

We have forged a new path absent of the past
Yet fully cognizant of the themes that brought us together
And continue to shape our conversations:
Literature, Music, Philosophy
Interspersed between the pages of our own personal experiences

Dialogue is good, but
Understanding a differing point of view;
Truly taking it in and digesting its parts
Is where the mind opens up and change begins
I welcome the waters that traverse my life
Change is good.

Copyright Michelle Beckham-Corbin 2010 ~ All Rights Reserved

Peace, Love & Folk Rock

2010-06-28T23:47:00.002-04:00

This song just strikes my soul. Jewel has a hauntingly beautiful voice. Take a listen, get inspired, take action and make a difference in someone's life TODAY!

Copyright Michelle Beckham-Corbin 2010

Celebrating Social Media Day Cincinnati Style

2010-06-27T15:53:00.008-04:00

Imagine setting aside one day out of the year to celebrate and build awareness around social media across the world. Top Social Media Blogger Mashable has declared Wednesday, June 30th, 2010: Social Media Day. Mashable states that this day was created “to celebrate the revolution of media becoming a social dialogue.”

Cities around the world are creating their own unique twists around the day and communities everywhere will be able to link their content on Twitter, Flickr and YouTube via the common hash tag #smday. You can keep tabs on the global celebration by connecting to the Social Media Day Facebook Page or Twitter feed.

Here in Cincinnati, the day is being organized by local social media networking group Cincinnati Social Media (#CincySM on twitter) founded by Kevin Dugan, Dan Lally and Dave Knox in partnership with Ignite Cincinnati. Ignite is a cool presentation concept with a quirk. The Ignite website describes it as:

“…a night of presentations with a twist. 14 presenters each get 5 minutes to talk about their subject. 20 slides that auto advance after 15 seconds. It is quick, fun, smart and fills the Know Theater.“

Cincinnati Social Media is known for sponsoring topical, thought-provoking seminars in cool spaces across the city which sell-out within an hour or two of posting. Read more about previous CincySm events here.

Wednesday’s event will occur at the Lavomatic Cafe in the OTR Gateway (Cincinnati’s historic Over the Rhine district) from 5:00 p.m.- 6:15 p.m. According to the event page, free drinks and appetizers will be available until the tab has been reached. This will be followed by the Ignite 3 presentations at close-by Know Theater. The event sponsor is Vitrue, a company focused on technology solutions for social media management.

Here’s an example of a recent Cincinnati Ignite presentation featuring Candace Klein, attorney and founder of the micro-lending program for women: Bad Girl Ventures.

All are welcome to attend Social Media Day Cincinnati, but you will need to pre-register here.

Memories Are a Powerful Thing to Lose

2010-06-20T22:47:00.003-04:00

In an empty room gathering dust

Lies a hint of the past sprinkled with shards of the present

Rays of mental illumination try to pierce through the darkness

I see you there for a brief moment, thinking that my fears were only fears

But then another day dawns and you grasp at who I am

It becomes clear to me that you have been put on course with your destiny

One that I was so clearly aware of

It pains me to think that denial was part of the program

And that precious time was lost

Time that could have stemmed the tide

They say that we can’t truly know someone

Until we have walked a mile in their moccasins

Would I have chosen the same path to live my life

Hoping to dodge the silver bullet?

Or would I look at the genealogy and see the

Dark red arrows pointing at me……

I know this is the beginning, but it feels like the end

How can I lose such a strong person when

She is right in front of me

The mind is a powerful thing to lose…..

I love you Mom……

LOST......

2010-05-09T21:04:00.003-04:00

LOST
I trusted you with my soul, my heart, my life
You gave me love, crazy, crazy love
Interspersed with music as the background to our lives
Even now as I pen these words
Your spirit is haunting me through Pandora
Each song is a ghost from our past
Are you controlling the channel or
Is my energy channeling the selection?
A song on satellite radio can take me back to our early days
So imagine what is happening now with a complete radio station
Assaulting my senses….
You no longer exist for me, at least as the person that
I once knew
I once loved
I once saved
You gave into the demons that I tried so hard to fight for you
The dark side has taken control of
Your life
Your senses
Your soul
It’s a freaking shame….
You could have been one of the good guys
You could have set the world on fire with your words
You could have led an entire nation
Now you are self-destructing
Anger and disappointment clouding your judgment
It’s only a matter of time until this road
Takes you on a journey of no return
Perhaps Kurt Cobain is making another appearance in your life…..
“The world we knew won't come back
The time we've lost can't get back
The life we had won't be ours again” ~Three Days Grace

Copyright Michelle Beckham-Corbin 2010

THE TIME IS NOW!

2010-05-09T18:36:00.002-04:00

The Time is Now!

I fan the possibilities out like a hand of cards

Kings, Jacks, Aces- the choice is mine

I have the opportunity to drive my destiny

I feel the power emanating within me

This is my time, my chance to drive the fire

That burns deep within me

No more quenching the roar into a latent sleep,

Content to focus on the stuff of everyday life

The time is now; the flames are ready to rise

I know that I have what it takes to rock the world

To leave a difference that is monumental in scope

By affecting one person, one brand, one company at a time

I’ve made my choice- my passion has been ignited….

FALLING FAST

2010-05-06T10:19:00.006-04:00

“I’m falling… say it if it’s worth saving me…And all I need is you….” Nickleback

And so the dance begins again

The lyrics stream through my ears taking me back to yesterday

While my mind takes me back to last night’s conversation

Somehow they are one and the same

This pattern repeats over and over and over

That gossamer tentacle so oft written about

Truly does exist

We are tied together for eternity by a bond

That no one else will ever understand

You know me completely: the good, the bad, the narcissistic

You are the mirror to my soul

And when I need to be reminded, you are there

To peel back the layers, until I stand in the

Full authenticity that only you and I know

And in turn I view you through clear lenses

Am I the only one to know that you are spiraling downward?

Choosing a different method this time to dull the pain in your being

I heard you whisper the words “this is complicated”

And damn it, you are right

You, my friend, are slowly killing yourself

Is this another test of how far I can go to save a soul?

The Reincarnation of Artichokes

2010-04-26T08:50:00.003-04:00

Permanently tethered to the ether
Coming together because we share that connection
I know your core, your essence
And you know mine
I sense your pain, your hurt from a thousand miles away
It cuts like a knife and I feel it deep within my soul

You used to say we were the purest form of soul mates
That truism has played out over and over
The connection remains unbroken, despite our best efforts
To move on- to carve another life absent of yesterday

Words tie us together sending us on clouds of literary volleyball
Trading the world’s greatest authors with pieces of our own
Examining life from the opposite ends of a kaleidoscope
Your end looks out through the eye piece and sees reality:
Harsh, dark, the hardness of struggle and living life merely to exist
My end focuses on the sliding colors and shapes
Seeing endless possibilities in a world filled with brightly colored hope

Is this the dichotomy that brought us together and keeps us connected?
Your existence in a world of darkness and self-mutilation
Despite having a brilliant mind
That just couldn’t cope with the ordinary surrounding your world
My existence in a world full of promise and peace
Because I have a brilliant mind

It’s obvious that you can’t let me go
It’s obvious that I can’t let you go either

But you are sinking once again, deeper than any time before
I saved you once and almost lost my soul
Your soul is crying out again
I feel it
I hear it
God, I don’t know what to do…….

Copyright Michelle Beckham-Corbin 2010

PLAYING WITH FIRE

2010-04-22T23:06:00.003-04:00

So…here we are exposed to the naked truth of desire

You desire my company

I desire to know what makes you tick

You are an enigma- you terrify me in your directness and demanding nature

Yet I am pulled toward you like a moth to a light

Circling closer and closer, just hoping that I won’t get burned

You have the means and the ability to get to me

Literally get to me

There’s no hiding behind a virtual curtain

Warning sirens should be sounding

Like a gong in the empty recesses of my hijacked brain

‘Escape while you can’ should be the tape re-playing in my head

An eight track tape- how fitting

Yet, instead of retreating, I find myself wondering why you are the way you are

As if it is an ancient puzzle that I am destined and determined to solve

I picture you on that night time flight to Europe

Traveling at the speed of light to avoid the ash particles from the

Spewing Volcano

I told you before you left, that the thought of traveling through danger

Was incredibly exciting to me- an adrenaline rush like a wild roller-coaster ride

You just laughed in that old soul, slightly condescending way

As if I were a girl, rather than your equal in age

You told me goodbye and said “I’ll talk to you again when I return home.”

Presuming that I will be there for you when you disembark onto US soil

Lord, I think I need to exorcise you out of my life before the volcano erupts

Copyright Michelle Beckham-Corbin 2010
Image credit via Demetrius Tauriac